Pakistan vs World XI 2nd T20 Highlights – Sep 13, 2017

Pak v WXI highlights today – Second t20 from Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (Pakistan) Wednesday 13th September 2017. After losing the toss Pakistan batted first and scored 197 runs in 20 overs with five down. Fakhar Zaman opener of the Pakistan team smashed just two 4s and out when it was 0.4 edged and gone! It’s an all-South African strike. Good length delivery outside off, that typical Morkel length. Zaman doesn’t have as much width as the previous deliveries and flirts with a waft, gets a thick outside edge which flies to a wide slip. Amla takes it by his face. Exceptional carry in this surface 8/1. Ahmed Shehzad scored 39 runs off 34 balls, he smashed just three boundaries, when his wicket dismissed then it was 14.1 lovely catch from Sammy. Short delivery down leg, Shehzad flicks Cutting off his pads, can’t keep it down, can’t get enough behind it. Goes towards Sammy at deep square leg, who runs in and takes an exquisite low catch, running forward. 130/2.

The match will be broadcast live on DSports in India, Prime TV – UK, Ghazi TV – Bangladesh, Willow TV, USA, Dialog – Sri Lanka and cricketgateway.com. In Pakistan, match can be seen live on PTV Sports, Ten Sports and Pakistan Television Broadcasters.

Ahmed Shehzad was helping Babar Azam because he was the man who smashed almost all World XI bowlers, he scored 86 runs off 52 deliveries with the help off ten 4s and two 6s, when his wicket dismissed then it was 15.5 easily taken at deep midwicket. Tahir strikes! A flat legbreak outside off, Azam gets low, looking to slog-sweep this over deep midwicket but fatigue crept in, disallowing him from getting enough power behind his heave. Deep midwicket settles underneath, no dropping that. Fine knock from Azam, all timing, save the last few balls 142/3. Shoaib Malik smashed 38 runs off 20 balls and in the end Imad Wasim scored 15 runs off just four deliveries.

In the first t20 Pakistan 197 for 5 (Babar 86, Shehzad 39, Malik 38) beat World XI 177 for 7 (Sammy 29, du Plessis 29) by 20 runs. Babar Azam showed why he is considered the future of Pakistan batting, as his 52-ball 86 carried Pakistan to a comfortable 20-run win over the World XI in the first T20I. After Fakhar Zaman was dismissed in the first over, Babar put on a 122-run partnership with Ahmed Shahzad to set Pakistan up for a big finish. Shoaib Malik and Imad Wasim then helped Pakistan score 48 runs in the last three overs to finish with 197, their fourth-highest T20 total. World XI’s weak bowling attack was laid surgically bare, with only their specialist bowlers – Morne Morkel and Imran Tahir – providing a semblance of control.

However, the opening pair of Hashim Amla and Tamim Iqbal would be the envy of most sides. Hashim Amla was at his elegant best, providing that unique mix: grace and a brisk strike rate. At least one of them needed to bat through, but both fell in the 5th over, and the target began to fade into the distance. Faf du Plessis kept World XI in the hunt, taking 22 off a Hasan Ali over, but in a chase that cried out for a substantial contribution, World XI had only cameos to offer. Morkel is the side’s only specialist fast bowler, and he relies far more heavily on bounce than Lahore’s pitch could bear. His short deliveries sat up for Babar. The part-time medium pace of Ben Cutting, Darren Sammy, and Thisara Perera, who went for 51 in his four overs, proved to be far too easy for the Pakistan batsmen. World XI looked to have conceded about 20 runs too many, and it was fitting that that was the winning margin.

Babar’s star continues to shine. The 23-year-old had only ever played one match in Pakistan in his career – an ODI against Zimbabwe – but he showed he could handle the pressure with a classy innings that left World XI in his wake right from the start. He seemed set to become the second Pakistan player to score a T20 hundred but holed out to David Miller on the midwicket boundary as Pakistan pushed for 200. The difference between both teams’ premier spinners was on full display, with Tahir slightly off colour, often dragging the ball short, and in general, a little intimidated by the idea of flight. He conceded 34 off his four overs. Imad Wasim, who opened the Pakistan bowling, knew exactly what was required of him. He starved the batsmen of scoring shots, giving away just 22 in four overs. With a target of 198, the asking rate was only ever going in one direction.

The first over of the game was Pakistan’s batting in a nutshell. Fakhar Zaman inside-edged the first ball for a boundary, before timing an exquisite square cut off the second delivery for four. Two balls later, he nicked Morkel to Hashim Amla at wide slip. Ahmed Shehzad then played two attractive drives that went straight to fielders. It doesn’t matter where they are, that’s how Pakistan play anyway. Pakistan lead the three-match series 1-0, with two games to go. The second T20I will be played at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.